The 23-year-old was responding to messages that queried his desire to play for England after he withdrew from the squad for Friday night's World Cup qualifier against San Marino, after reports indicated he was suffering with a sore throat.

"Just to clarify.... It's not a 'sore throat'," Bertrand tweeted. "I'm ill, swollen glands in my neck and constant headache for three days now and freezing cold.

"Do you think a 'sore throat' could stop me being a part of a match for my club or country? #yourfuckingnuts this is what every boy dreams of."

Bertrand has since deleted the tweet, and followed up with an apology, which read: "sorry if I offended anyone by swearing as I don't encourage that type of language. Was just disappointed at the thought of people thinking I only have a sore throat. Which is not the case."

Bertrand's tweet comes less than a week after Ashley Cole branded the FA a "bunch of twats" on Twitter.